Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8: A Glimpse into the Future of Mobile Gaming

Is this the future of foldable phones?
Samsung certainly believes it is. The company has branded its latest wide foldable as the “Z Fold 8,” presenting it not as a quirky design but as the new standard for foldables moving forward. Rumors suggest that Apple shares this vision, with expectations of a similarly compact design for its first foldable iPhone, anticipated to debut in September.

Whether you attribute this trend to Apple, Samsung, or even Huawei, which was first with the Pura X Max, it seems they might be onto something. After a week of using the Z Fold 8, it feels surprisingly comfortable and intuitive, despite being the widest and shortest phone I can recall. The 4:3 inner display is particularly well-suited for reading and watching videos, making this foldable more functional than any previous models I’ve tried.

However, it’s not without its flaws. Some apps struggle with the short outer screen, though these instances are infrequent. Additionally, the reduction from three cameras in last year’s model to just two this year feels like a significant downgrade for a device priced at $1,899.

The true future of foldables will likely be clearer once Apple enters the fray. Yet, with the Z Fold 8, Samsung has already made a compelling argument for this design’s longevity.

Until now, foldables have generally fallen into three categories: flippy, foldy, and, more recently, trifoldy. Samsung has played a pivotal role in shaping these categories, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8 represents a new wave of wider models.

The 5.5-inch outer display is both shorter and wider than typical smartphones, closely resembling the dimensions of a standard passport with a 10:16 aspect ratio. While it may look a bit unusual when closed, it makes perfect sense once you open it to reveal the 7.6-inch, 4:3 inner screen — the same aspect ratio found on most iPads. This design feels more like a foldable tablet than any previous Z Fold, and I’ve found myself opening it more frequently than any other foldable I’ve reviewed.

This elongated shape is more natural for watching TV and movies, providing a wider screen with minimal letterboxing. It’s far superior for this purpose compared to the Z Fold 8 Ultra, which offers limited extra screen space for video in vertical mode and has its selfie camera obstructing the view in landscape. The Z Fold 8 is also better for reading, mimicking the dimensions of a book when held in portrait mode.

While the closed shape takes some getting used to, it’s less of an adjustment than you might expect. Even during a brief trial at Samsung’s press event, I was surprised by how natural it felt, and a week with the Z Fold 8 has only reinforced that impression. Over time, it doesn’t feel particularly short or wide; it simply feels like a phone.

There are occasional hiccups that reveal Android wasn’t designed with these dimensions in mind. For instance, Instagram has occasionally failed to load completely, leaving a white bar on the right side of the screen; the Withings app has crammed two rows of content together to fit vertically; and even Samsung’s One UI Quick Settings panel is too lengthy, requiring scrolling to access the bottom.

I’m not claiming this squat screen is superior to a traditional slab phone, as it likely isn’t. You’ll find yourself scrolling more often due to the reduced vertical space, and reaching the far side of the phone can be a stretch. However, there are benefits: the extra width makes two-handed typing more comfortable (it’s reminiscent of the classic BlackBerry), and the shorter height makes it easier to reach the top of the device. Those who miss the days of smaller phones might find themselves surprisingly fond of the Z Fold 8.

The reduced size also contributes to the Z Fold 8’s lightweight design. At 201g, it’s Samsung’s lightest Z Fold yet. It’s also slim, measuring 9.7mm thick when closed, slightly chunkier than last year’s Z Fold 7 or this year’s Ultra, but still thinner than the upcoming Z Fold 6. These dimensions bring it close to a standard smartphone; for comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro weighs 206g and is 8.8mm thick.

Despite its slim profile, the Z Fold 8 houses a larger battery than any previous Z Fold except for the new Ultra, boasting a capacity of 4,800mAh. This is made possible by Samsung’s adoption of silicon-carbon batteries, which are more energy-dense and have been widely used by many Chinese manufacturers.

Samsung has approached this innovation cautiously, focusing on stability and longevity while incorporating more reactive silicon into the battery anode. Silicon-carbon batteries can degrade faster than traditional designs, leading to quicker declines in battery life, but Samsung claims to have mitigated this risk. It will take time to see how well they’ve balanced this, but for now, I’m going to bed with 40 percent battery remaining each night, indicating that the extra capacity is effective.

Charging is adequate but not groundbreaking. The Z Fold 8 supports 45W wired charging and 20W wireless charging, which are decent by US standards but lag behind many Android phones available elsewhere. Unlike some competitors, the Z Fold 8 lacks built-in magnets for Qi2 wireless charging, although it is compatible with Qi2 cases. This design choice likely helps keep the phone thinner and lighter, and Samsung probably assumes most users will opt for a case anyway.

That’s unfortunate because the phone looks fantastic. It fits seamlessly into Samsung’s existing design language, which I’ve always appreciated for its sleek simplicity. I’m particularly fond of my lavender model, which features a subtle purple hue, as well as the online-exclusive “pistachio” — though it’s more of a grayish-green than a nutty color.

The absence of an IP68 rating is disappointing, as the IP48 protection leaves the Z Fold 8 more susceptible to dust and sand compared to rival foldables from other brands. Samsung asserts that the phone is sturdier overall due to new titanium-infused layers beneath the display, which also make the crease on the inner screen less noticeable. While it’s not as difficult to see or feel as on Oppo’s impressive Find N6, the crease is now a non-issue.

The camera setup may raise more concerns. Samsung has reduced the Z Fold 8 to just two rear lenses: a main camera and an ultrawide, with no telephoto option. While the new 50-megapixel ultrawide is a significant upgrade, the main camera features a smaller sensor, lower resolution, and narrower aperture than its predecessor, resulting in a decline in overall performance.

The photos it captures are decent. The main camera is similar to that of the base Galaxy S26, yielding comparable results to an iPhone 17. Low-light processing is surprisingly good, provided subjects remain still, and colors are vibrant yet appealing. However, like many Samsung cameras, it struggles with fast-moving subjects — nearly every photo I’ve taken of my cats has turned out blurry. The ultrawide lens enhances the setup, matching the main lens in quality for most shots, meaning there’s rarely a compromise when zooming out. Still, at this price point, a telephoto lens would be a welcome addition.

Compared to earlier Z Fold models, Samsung has kept software updates relatively minimal. Google’s Gemini Intelligence Task Automation has been rolled out, but it’s not yet available in all regions, so I haven’t been able to test it. There’s also My FanCam, an AI video editing feature that focuses on specific individuals, and Nudge, which suggests contextual actions for split-screen use, though it’s somewhat limited in practice since it requires specific apps.

The foldable market is poised for significant change in the coming months. Apple’s entry could either propel foldables into the mainstream or confirm their status as a niche product.

Regardless, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 makes a strong case for this design as the future of foldables. It’s compact enough to feel small when folded yet wide enough to provide an expansive experience when opened. It excels at watching TV and movies, and it’s equally effective for reading — the two primary uses for most foldable users, leaving the Ultra for those focused on multitasking. If I were to choose one of Samsung’s new foldables, it would undoubtedly be this one. However, while it feels like the future of foldables, it still needs to become significantly more affordable to truly represent the future of smartphones.